Percussion musical instrument.



1. BAKER. PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED .IUNE 6,1914.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

5 291 (3 s {5L5 .7 A ?2 I l i .MM I g M la V -rx I a I %i I A /7/1551 WWWWW O QQW an'rrf BAKER, or wAnn-E n-AnKANsAs.

To all whom it may concern:

" Be itknown that L J EiFF BAKEm'a citizen of the United States,residingat VVardell, in the county ofMississippiv and State of Arkansas,have invented. certain new and useful Improvements in Percussion MusicalInstruments, k of which the following "1s, a 5

specification, reference being had-tothe accompanylng drawings. vThisinventmn relatesto certain improvements in percussion musicalinstruments, and

an lobjectof thezinvention is to providea novel and improved instrumentinclud ng a sound chest wherein the opposite ends there of are open. 1 q

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my 1m proved musicalinstrument whereby certain important advantages are attalned and thedevice is rendered simpler, less expensive and otherwise more convenientand advantageous for use, all as will be hereinafter more fully setforth.

In order that my invention maybe the better understood, I will nowproceed to describe the same withreferenceto the accompanying'draw-ings,where1n.

Figure l is a viewln top plan of an 1nstrument constructed in accordancewith an embodiment of my invention; Fig. .2 is a sectional viewtaken'substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig; 1, looking in the directionof the arrow; Fig. 3 is asectional view taken substantially on the line33' of Fig. 1,

looking in the direction of the arrow; and Fig. 4 is a view in plan ofthe hammer herein included, for striking the sonorous members. Asdisclosed in the accompanying drawings, Agdenotes a sound chestcomprising the spaced imperforate members 1, here n disclosed assubstantially rectangular in form and maintained in their relativespaced positions through the medium of the inter posed elongated blocks2.'. In practice, I

i find it especially desirable that the members 1 andthe blocks 2' beformed of hard wood and that the abuttingportionsthereof be connectedone with the? other through a suitable adhesive together with apluralityof clamping bolts 3, as is clearly shown in the accompanying drawings;[I have. found I r nnoussron USICAL ms'rnuiunnr,

Specification of Letter s Patent.

jap ncat o ea June 6, 1914. Seri'a1No.843,473.

, the desired pitch is created. In order that the instrument may be Iplayed with convenience and facility, I find Patented J an. 18, 1916.

be employed as with the use of adhesive alone, the best results cannotbe obtained. By the construction of the sound chest herein set forth, itwill be perceived that such chest comprises ahollow body open at itsends. Operatively engaged with one of the members 1 are the sonorousmembers 4, tuned to afiord a chromatic scale and herein disclosed aspositioned one relative to the other va manner similar to thearrangement of the keys of an ordinary piano.

As herein embodied, each of the sonorous members 4 "comprises anelongated strip of materlal-preferably brass wire or steel wire heavilycoated with copper. One extremity ofthe strip is formed into an eye 5 toafiord a suitable anchoring means and, as herein disclosed, such eye hasprojecting there- "through the extremity of a headed bolt 6,

the head whereof is disposed against the under face ofthe member 1 whilethe upper Z or threaded extremity of such bolt is engaged by theclamping nuts 7 and 8, the

nut 8 serving as a am nut. The novel features'of the invention willbecarefully defined in the appended claims;

. The remaining portion of the member 4 i coiled with the convolutions 9thereof positioned in substantially the same plane, with the smallestcoil located centrally of the member, as is believed to'be fully shownin the accompanying drawings. I have found in practice that therequisite pitch may be impartedto the sonorous member 4 by cutting offthe free extremity of the it desirable to dispose longitudinally of thennio'n.

strand until i sounding member or'ch'est A the strip 12 interposedbetween the two rows of members 4 and provided thereon with therequisite indications 14 to denote the pitch of the member. I also findit of advantage in some instances to have a plurality of members 4arranged in close'proximitv one to the other and of the same pitch sothat the requisite blow from the hammer B may be facilitated eye of-onemember oppositely related with theeye 5 of the coacting'member.

While I have hereinbefore set forth my invention as adapted to beemployed in connection with a hammer adapted to be held in the hand ofthe player, I wish to state that my device may be employed in connection with a conventional piano structure whether of a toy type orotherwise, and I have found in practice that it can be employed in suchinstances with equal facility.

From the foregoing description, it is thought to be obvious that .apercussion musical instrument constructed in accordance with myinvention is of an extremely simple and comparatively inexpensive natureand is particularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenienceand facility with which it may be assembled, and it will also be obviousthat my invention is suscep tible of some change and modificationwithout material departure from the principles and spirit thereof andfor this reason I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to theprecise arrangement and formation of the several parts herein shown incarrying out my invention in practice.

I claim:

In combination, a sound chest comprising spaced normally imperforatemembers, elongated blocks interposed between the members adjacent thelongitudinal margins thereof, the opposite ends of the chest being open,an adhesive for connecting the blocks and members, bolts passing throughthe members and the blocks to afford an additional means for maintainingthe same in assembled relation, and a sonorous member secured directlyto one of the spaced members of the chest.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

JEFF BAKER. Witnesses:

J. R. MUSIGK, W. W. ADAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0."

